The coach spoke harshly about Demin’s play in the NBA. Clouds are gathering over the future of Russians

Egor Demin very quickly broke into the strongest basketball league in the world. A record-breaking draft choice for Russians, a quick entry into Brooklyn’s starting five, outstanding individual performances and rave reviews from fans – all this has happened to the 19-year-old Russian over the past six months. Alas, the white stripe, as often happens, was followed by a black one.

Demin needs to be bolder

The match against Philadelphia at the end of November became a real benefit for Demin: 23 points scored in the second half, five three-pointers made and a large amount of useful actions on the court. It seemed that that game was supposed to instill confidence in Yegor and motivate him for future successes. The reality turned out to be somewhat different. After the best game in the NBA, there was a decline typical for young players.

Over the last five meetings, Demin’s best result was 10 points in the game with Chicago. On two occasions he scored only three points. The worst in this segment was the away match with Dallas (111:119), which took place on Saturday night, Moscow time. Demin again, for the 15th time in a row, appeared in the starting five, but after the game he showed, he was at great risk of losing his place in the starting lineup. And it’s not just about the small number of points scored. In terms of assists (1) and rebounds (1), the Russian also showed himself to be extremely modest. Usually reserved in criticizing his players, Brooklyn coach Jordi Fernandez immediately after the match made it clear that it was time for Yegor to pull himself together.

Jordi Fernandez / Photo: © Michael Reaves / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

“He must play better, otherwise his playing time will be reduced and someone else will take advantage of it,” the Spanish specialist noted.

The main complaint against Demin in recent matches is the lack of initiative. He rarely takes shots and faces the ball too little for the point guard position. In most cases, he simply goes to the other half and then gives the ball to his neighbor, trying to prevent a loss. Passes under someone else’s ring are also extremely rare, which is confirmed by the sad statistics of earned fouls. Over the last five matches, he only once stood on the free throw line – for an attacking player these are very sad indicators. There are also questions about playing defense: opponents often “target” Yegor, who is not able to impede someone else’s shot. Demin’s game often becomes too rational, and the desire to avoid mistakes turns him into invisible. In a league where individual excellence is especially valued, this can very quickly lead to relegation to the reserves.

It’s too early to panic

Another bad news for Demin is that Brooklyn’s other young players have been showing themselves more and more brightly in recent matches. We are talking primarily about another newcomer to the team, Danny Wolf, who grabbed his chance very tightly. He acts much more boldly on the court, which is reflected in his personal statistics. If Demin scored 6.6 points in the last five matches, then Wulf’s figures were twice as good. But very soon one of the team leaders, Cam Thomas, whose injury largely contributed to the Russian’s promotion to the top five, should return to duty.

Egor Demin and Ryan Nembhard / Photo: © Ron Jenkins / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Demin’s weak performance in the match with Dallas led to the fact that in the fourth quarter the Russian received only two minutes of playing time. This reaction from the coach already says a lot, but in any case it’s too early to sprinkle ashes on Yegor’s head. Errors and instability are common for a newbie. What is more important is what reaction will follow from the player himself to an unsuccessful segment.

“I expect a stronger game from him.” I want to see him better prepared mentally and physically. I know that he can play better and he knows how to make the right conclusions after unsuccessful matches. In the game with Dallas, we, unfortunately, did not see his best qualities,” noted the Brooklyn coach.

One disastrous game and even an unsuccessful stretch of several matches is definitely not a reason to give up the eighth pick of the last draft. Demin is now third on the team in assists (3.5 on average per match) and first in interceptions (0.9). Almost two accurate three-pointers in each game is also an indicator of his skill. Next week, Brooklyn will have two matches against Milwaukee and Miami. His immediate future in the NBA will largely depend on Demin’s actions in these meetings.